1970 LAMBORGHINI ESPADA SERIES II - PROJECT CAR

This 1970 Lamborghini Espada 400 GT Series II is a highly original example of the Italian marque’s elegant grand tourer, which presents as a remarkably complete project for a passionate enthusiast or restorer. The car retains its original high-compression 350hp 3.9-litre V12 ‘S’ engine, which is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission. The odometer shows just 34,410 miles from new.

The Espada was designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone, and was largely inspired by the radical Marzal and Pirana concept cars. The Series I appeared in 1968, and was followed by the Series II model in 1970, which retained the purer styling and front grille, along with the Miura-style knock-off alloy wheels, but with an uprated engine to Miura ‘S’ specification, and ventilated brake disc brakes all round. The claimed performance figures were 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds, with a top speed of 155mph.

This particular Espada is an exceptionally rare model, being one of just 51 UK-delivered right-hand-drive Series II cars built. Chassis number 7752 left the factory finished in Argento Metallizzato, with a Nero leather interior. An excerpt of the Espada production archive shown in the photo gallery indicates a completion date in April 1970, and the car was first registered in the UK the following month.

The first owner kept this Espada from 1970 through to 1981, when it was acquired by the previous keeper. Soon after buying the car, he decided to repaint it in a brighter hue, and changed it from silver to red in the early 1980s. It is understood that he used the Lamborghini precisely for its intended purpose - driving down to the south of Spain along fast-flowing European highways on several occasions, covering around 20,000 miles in six years.

By the late 1980s, the Lamborghini was starting to show signs of rust, so the owner made the decision to take it off the road, with a view to refurbishing it at some point. A check of the vehicle status on the Gov.uk website shows that the road tax for the Espada expired in August 1987. It has not returned to the road since then, and has been stored untouched in a container for more than 30 years.

Today, the bodywork presents in largely straight and solid condition. There is obvious corrosion around the car, and the seller states that it will require new sills on both sides, door skins, lower wing panels, and repairs to the offside floor pan. It will also need some new metal to one area on the nearside windscreen scuttle, and another patch at the back of the roof, where water has dripped onto the car and perforated the panels. The glass is all very good and the stainless steel bumpers are undamaged.

The substantial bonnet is made from aluminium bonnet, and has only minimal electrolytic corrosion visible. The steel chassis frame is generally in good shape, and shows no evidence of any accident damage. The rear of the chassis, including the spare wheel well and battery tray areas, are noted as being very solid. It rides on the original Campagnolo cast magnesium alloy wheels as used on the Lamborghini Miura, and also includes the full-size spare. The early 1980s repaint in red was not done to a particularly good standard, and it has cracked and peeled all around the body.

Inside, the black leather upholstery remains entirely original. The front and rear seats feature the correct perforated centre panels, and the trim on the centre console, dashboard fascia, and door cards is sound - though in need of a thorough clean and conditioning treatment. The driver’s seat shows some wear on the side bolsters, but would undoubtedly be brought back to a very high standard with some professional re-connolising. On top of the dashboard, the inlaid access panel has warped slightly.

All of the wood trim is complete and has simply aged gracefully, including the original steering wheel rim and gear knob. The carpets are dusty but unworn, and the headlining is also in great shape. A few minor trim pieces are missing, including the end piece on the column stalk, and the passenger foot rest brace. The original ignition switch is also missing, but a new one is included. An intermittent wiper assembly has been added at some point in the car’s past.

As the car has been unused for more than 30 years, it will require complete mechanical refurbishment. However, around 1982 - five years before the car was laid up - the engine was fully rebuilt by the previous owner using parts supplied by Lamborghini, and there are invoices in the file from Lamborghini S.p.A., Portman and Maltin Car Concessionaires that evidence this work. It is therefore believed that the engine components are fundamentally sound, though the carburettors will need to be stripped and rebuilt, and the V12 will require a thorough overhaul. All four corners of the suspension will need restoration, along with the brakes and fuel system. Part of the exhaust system also requires work, although half is a stainless steel replacement.

Accompanying the car is a raft of receipts from the 1980s, including paperwork that references many engine parts sourced from Lamborghini for the rebuild. There are also old V5C log books present, including one from 1985 and another from 2019, which show the same registered keeper on both documents.

Writing about the model in Motor Sport magazine in period, renowned journalist Denis Jenkinson commented: “On all counts the Espada was remarkable in seeming to always have something of everything in reserve, whether it was revs, gears, seats, braking; road-holding or ride”.

This Lamborghini Espada 400 GT is a remarkably rare example of the Series II model, which blends the purer design of the early cars with a more powerful and refined specification. The seller believes it is likely the last unrestored car built in right-hand drive, so represents a great opportunity for a passionate enthusiast to bring a stylish V12 grand tourer back to life.

Please note: the cherished plate shown on the car is not included in the sale. It is already in the process of being switched back to an age-related registration plate.